UBC adding 778 student spaces across technology and life sciences programs thanks to provincial investment

B.C.’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, the Honourable Brenda Bailey, was on site at UBC’s Vancouver campus Friday to celebrate the expansion of technology-related learning spaces as part of the provincial government’s long-term plan to meet growing demand for talent in B.C.’s tech sector. 

The expansion involves creating 578 additional spaces at UBC Vancouver—including 120 in a new undergraduate data science program, and 160 spaces in the undergraduate microbiology and immunology program.

“The students who will be filling these hundreds of seats at UBC will help increase the supply of talent into the province’s rapidly expanding tech sector,” says Bailey.  “These graduates will be rewarded with well-paying careers while helping to advance health care and research to improve life for British Columbians, and build our clean, innovative economy of the future.” 

The funding will add new student spaces to existing programs in the faculties of applied science, medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, and science on both the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. These spaces will be added over six years, including an investment of $5.4 million in capital funding to equip and renovate labs and classrooms, and a total of $17.7 million in start-up and on-going operating funding over the first three years of the planned expansion. 

“We are grateful to the B.C. government for this generous investment, which will further enhance UBC’s position as a global leader in technology learning and innovation,” says UBC President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon. 

“This investment not only provides our students with exciting new education and career opportunities, but it also helps meet the demand for talent in B.C.’s rapidly growing tech and life sciences industry. With these new spaces, UBC is preparing even more students to become the engineers, scientists, product developers, and technology leaders that will help propel our society and economy forward.”

“There’s growing demand for talent as workplaces and the economy are transforming and we have more job openings in growing and in-demand fields than we have the skilled workers ready to fill them,” says B.C.’s Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, Lisa Beare. “People with technological skills and knowledge are in high demand and that’s why we are excited to add tech-relevant spaces for people to learn, grow and thrive in these in-demand careers.”

The expansion also incudes 60 spaces in undergraduate pharmaceutical sciences, 180 spaces in undergraduate chemical, computer and integrated engineering program streams, and 58 spaces in biomedical engineering graduate programs.  

Media Contact

Lui Xia Lee
UBC Media Relations
Tel: 604-827-5781
Email: luixia.lee@ubc.ca